Yumna Jawad of Feel Good Foodie is a pro when it comes to snacks and meals that taste good and are good for you! This American Heart Month, she’s sharing two ways to #DoMoreWithWalnuts and show your heart some love. California walnuts are a heart-healthy food, certified by the American Heart Association with the Heart-Check mark, and a key staple in a heart-healthy diet.1,2 Plus, they’re super versatile and an excellent source of omega-3 ALA (2.5g/oz).
Do More at Snack Time
Greek Yogurt Dip
Whether you’re watching your favorite sports, or just need a little fuel between meals, a Greek yogurt dip with California walnuts is a good snack to have on hand. Make a snack plate featuring your favorite veggies and go nuts! To whip up this tangy treat, all you’ll need are a few common ingredients you might already keep in your kitchen, paired with your dipping snacks of choice.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup chopped California walnuts, plus more for topping
- 3 tablespoons chopped chives, plus more for topping
- 1 garlic, pressed
- ½ lemon, zested and juiced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Pizza Bites
Who doesn’t love pizza? Life’s all about balance, so when you’re looking for the comforting flavors of pizza in a better-for-you form, try these Walnut Quinoa Pizza Bites! The grains and nuts combine to make a hearty base for these flavorful lunchtime bites. Not only are they delicious for adults, but kids love them, too. Talk about an easy way to sneak more nutrients into meals!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup California walnuts
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup sliced black olives
- ½ cup pizza sauce, for serving
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat 24 mini muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the quinoa, eggs, cheese, walnuts, Italian seasoning and salt in the bowl of a food processor and blend until combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop about a tablespoon of the quinoa mixture into the prepared muffin tin and use the back of a spoon to press mixture into the muffin tin. Add the sliced olives on top. Makes about 18 mini bites.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve warm with pizza sauce.
Following a heart-healthy diet is important all year round and choosing foods that support heart-health, such as walnuts, is an important habit that can be easily done. Check here for more recipe inspiration storage tips, and research on walnuts and heart health.
Following a heart-healthy diet is important all year round and choosing foods that support heart-health, such as walnuts, is an important habit that can be easily done. Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 ounces of walnuts per day, as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet and not resulting in increased caloric intake, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. One ounce of walnuts offers 18g of total fat, 2.5g of monounsaturated fat, 13g of polyunsaturated fat including 2.5g of alpha-linolenic acid – the plant-based omega-3.
